Gray is the Oceanbridge. It protrudes 2 feet above the surface of the water. The surface is a bit slippery. A DC 2 acrobatics check is required to run or charge.
Blue borders represent blocks.
Lt. Blue is water. The water is approximately 5 feet deep near the Oceanbridge but quickly deepens further from the bridge.
Brown is cavern floor. To reach the cavern floor from the Oceanbridge it is a 10 foot climb up slipper cliffs. It is a DC20 climb check.

Dargoth power attacked the prone Skum with his magic bastard sword. The attack landed dealing 15 damage. After striking the blow the fighter got a strange look on his face, sheathed his sword and jumped into the water. The Aboleth turned its attention toward the Turok and targeted him with a spell. Turok began hearing whispering voices in his head but tuned them out completely.

Clint stepped forward and targeted the Skum still in the water with his longbow. The rogue’s arrow flew true, hitting the target for 6 damage. The Skum jumped up upon the block and attacked Thurstan with its trident. The attack hit dealing 5 damage.

At Clint’s urging, Banjo cast a Detect Magic upon the Aboleth. The Sorcerer discerned a strong aura of illusion and successfully disbelieved the illusion. Thurstan stepped into the place formerly occupied by Dargoth and power attacked the prone Skum with his magic rapier. The attack hit for 12 damage and staggered the monster. With its last breath, the Skum attacked Thurstan with its trident but missed. The monster died.

Mr. Wolfe maneuvered and attacked the Skum between it and N’Kima with its bite. The attack hit dealing 4 damage but failed to tripped the foe. The other Skum attacked Mr. Wolfe with its trident, claw and bite. Only the trident managed to hit dealing 8 damage. The other Skum attacked N’Kima with its trident, claw and bite. Again only the trident managed to hit. This time dealing 6 damage to the ape.

Kirlic fired an arrow at the Aboleth but missed the proverbial broadside of a barn. Turok in squid-form attempted to disbelieve the presence of the Aboleth. The druid was able to pierce the veil of illusion with the encouragement of his companions. He was also able to study his surroundings, determining that the water under him was 30 feet deep and considerably deeper toward the Aboleth. He was also able to make out a large, dark moving shape deep under the Aboleth’s position. N’Kima stepped to the right and power attacked the nearest Skum with his bite. The attack hit dealing 10 damage which killed the Skum. The remaining slam attacks were targeted at the next monster. Both hit for 12 damage each.

Gray is the Oceanbridge. It protrudes 2 feet above the surface of the water. The surface is a bit slippery. A DC 2 acrobatics check is required to run or charge.
Blue borders represent blocks.
Lt. Blue is water. The water is approximately 5 feet deep near the Oceanbridge but quickly deepens further from the bridge.
Brown is cavern floor. To reach the cavern floor from the Oceanbridge it is a 10 foot climb up slipper cliffs. It is a DC20 climb check.

Dargoth stepped forward and power attacked the first Skum with his magic bastard sword. The attack landed dealing 14 damage. The Aboleth turned its attention toward the fighter and targeted him with a dire spell. Dargoth began hearing whispering voices in his head that were building to a creshendo. At first he tried to shut the voices out through force of will but soon he strained to make out what the voices were saying.

Clint targeted the Aboleth with his longbow. The rogue’s arrow flew true, hitting the target for 9 damage and sinking completely into the flesh of the monster. At first he felt satisfaction but then something seemed off. Clint voiced his concerns, “Something about squid-face is all wrong. He did not even flinch when the arrow hit him.” The rogue moved back toward the cliff wall.

The farthest Skum swam under the blocks an surface near Turok attacking the druid with its trident. The attack missed.

Not seeing what Clint was complaining about, Banjo cast a Scorching Ray at the Aboleth hitting for 16 damage. The sorcerer backed toward the cliff to confer with the rogue. Thurstan stepped next to Dargoth and targeted another Skum with a Lightning Arc. The attack hit for 3 damage. The Skum facing off with Dargoth attacked with its trident, claw and bite. All of the attacks missed.

Mr. Wolfe moved and jumped to the first of the damaged bridge block. The wolf landed with grace and attacked the Skum with its bite. The attack hit dealing 2 damage and tripped the foe. The remaining two Skum moved forward to attack Mr. Wolfe. The first took a 5-foot step and attacked with its trident, claw and bite. The second could only bring its trident to bear. None of the enemy attacks were able to strike the faithful companion.

Kirlic sought out higher ground. The ranger threw and set his grappling hook and climbed to the top of the slippery cliff wall. Turok transformed into a squid, jumped into the water and swam toward the Aboleth. N’Kima made a mighty leap landing upon the two damaged bridge blocks. They tilted slightly under the ape’s weight but the companion kept his balance. The ape smashed the nearest Skum with a devastating power attack dealing 29 damage.

With this turn, I have enabled a new feature. If you click on the Combat Map, you can open a new window in which the full-sized map will display. I figured that this would be especially helpful for some of the larger maps where the details are hard to see.

I can do the same for the previous turns map with little extra effort. Please let me know what you think.

Ahead, a few of the massive stone blocks of the Oceanbridge are cracked and sit askew. A navigable path yet exists were the corners of the crooked stones come close enough together, but unlike the minor erosion endured by the majority of the bridge, this section seems to have sustained damage.

The serene and gloomy surface of the Sullen Sea ripples, and the air grows foul with the stench of rotting fish. Four humanoids haul themselves from the depths, covered in slimy, bulbous flesh and vestigal fins. Their gaping maws are filled with rows of sharp teeth.

Even more horrific, an alien form of writhing tentacles, fishy scales, and glowing malevolent eyes rises to the surface about 20 feet from the bridge.

Gray is the Oceanbridge. It protrudes 2 feet above the surface of the water. The surface is a bit slippery. A DC 2 acrobatics check is required to run or charge.
Blue borders represent blocks.
Lt. Blue is water. The water is approximately 5 feet deep near the Oceanbridge but quickly deepens further from the bridge.
Brown is cavern floor. To reach the cavern floor from the Oceanbridge it is a 10 foot climb up slipper cliffs. It is a DC20 climb check.

Having purchased what they wished and discussed many topics with Bruthwol Coalhauler, the party prepared to move on toward Pedestal.

"Good travels my friends. I hope we can do business again."

"Be careful crossing the Ocenbridge. Wild kuo-toas and worse swim the sea's murky waters. Sometimes travelers who start on one end of the Oceanbridge fail to arrive at the other. In fact, part of the bridge has been damaged for a while now."

With the merchant's words in mind, the party made their way toward the bridge. The cobbled road stretched the distance to the bridge. It provided relatively easy passage compared to the landscape of broken rocks, slippery clay and fissures.

As the group drew closer to the Sullen Sea and the Oceanbridge, they were able to make out more details.

Pebbly beaches slope to the water's edge in the distance. Across the water a lone isle protrudes above the glassy water a half-mile or more away, faintly glowing with blue light from a source impossible to determine at this distance.

Spans of massive stone blocks mingle with the sculpted southern side of the Great Grotto, forming a bridge over the ominous waters of the Sullen Sea. Fifteen foot blocks fill the gaps where the stone wall of the cavern could not be carved in a straight path.

Expecting danger, Turok cast Greater Magic Fang on himself and N'Kima before stepping upon the bridge.

Travel along the bridge was silent and uneventful until the party reached the damage section which Bruthwol warned.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Beyond the crater opens a wide Underdark vista lit by pale light shining through enormous columns that march into the misted distance. The benighted waters of a sunless sea meet a pebble-stewn shore a half-mile or so away. Across the dark water , a city glimmers around the base of the nearest column.

A cobbled road, which emerges from an opening in the dimly glowing cavern wall about a quarter-mile to the left, passes within 10 feet of the crater and continues on the right. It finally connects to a narrow but elongated stone formation that spans the shadowy sea, reaching more than a mile to the city.

Just across the road from the crater, a strange covered wagon sits. A broad and dusky dwarf, bald but with a white beard, stands in front of it, smiling. He wears a thick leather coat and gloves that have gold piping. Two large gray lizards stand idly nearby.

The grinning dwarf calls out in a deep baritone in perfect Common, “Node travelers, and unless I miss my mark, surfacers too! I am Bruthwol Coalhauler, a humble merchant! Perhaps you would like to see my wares?”

What do you do next? If your actions do not involve combat, we can resolve the turn though responses to this post.

Banjo cast an Identify spell and examined the magic items. He determined the potion to be a Potion of Cure Moderate Wounds. The spider was a Jasper Spider Figurine. Upon saying the command word “lurux”, the figurine becomes a large monstrous spider. It does not attack but may be riden my a medium or small character. The spider will remain for up to 12 hours, until killed or until the command word is spoken again. The figurine may not be activated for another 24 hours after any of those events occur.

The party set a watch and rested. The time passed uneventfully. Spells and abilities were reset.

Thurstan, using the power of the earth node, transported the party somewhere else. Initially upon arrival, the group found itself in a 30-foot diameter crater. To spellcasters, this crater emanated the same feelings of power as that of the node floor that they just left. Transportation back will require 8 hours of rest and the use of a 2nd level spell slot, attuning to this end on the node.

Clint poked his head above the rim of the crater to see what the party was up against.

Dargoth Power attacked the remaining giant cockroach with his magic bastard sword. The fighter’s blow landed dealing 15 damage to the monster. Banjo cast a Scorching Ray at the same giant cockroach. The spell stuck the mark dealing 14 damage and killed the target. Kirlic stepped back to remove himself from the swarm and drew his bow.

With the large bugs dead, the swarm of cockroaches dissipated into the carpet of roaches covering the floor.

Thurstan, Turok , N’Kima, Mr. Wolfe and Clint watched as the remaining bugs and their stench retreated back into their warrens over the course of the next few round.

After a few moments the sickness passed from those affected by the cockroach stench. By that time, the bugs had completely cleared the floor of the earth node.

Once the bugs had cleared, Turok proceeded with his retrieval of the drow bodies and treasure.